Checking new equipment

[PreppingPingu]

In our local army surplice shop, I picked up a hexe type stove and a tin D cup for a few quid into bung in the hold all that lives in the back of my car. I figured its a good idea to try it out first so I know how to use it and how it flames.

Yes it was somewhat windy that day and I had it perched on top of the brick BBQ wall but a good lesson to try stuff out so when I do need to use I won't accidentally set myself on fire! It heated half a cup of water to very warm in 4 minutes or so, for an instant sachet of all in one coffee n creamer to go in and I had a decent hot drink, which was the aim of the exercise. Good to keep in the back of the car and it takes up very little space/weight compared to gas canister camping stoves. For storage, the solid fuel sits inside the folded up stove and the stove with matches sit inside the cup with along some single use sachets of drink. All nice n compact, weighing very little.

Anyhow - just a reminder to try stuff out before you need it. Those solid fuel tablets burn high n fast in the wind! Also, the handles of the cup really don't get hot in spite of the flames so you can remove it from the heat without injury.

[pseudonym]

Nice back up system.

[sniper 55]

I'm a firm believer of testing stuff before you have to rely on it.
As for the compactness I have a micro gas burner and bottle that fit inside a British army mess tin, haven#t compared the weight but I doubt theres a massive difference.
The beauty of hexi is it's bomb proof more or less.

[Yorkshire Andy]

You got it upside down . You can set the cooking height see pic :

[Deeps]

Keep a hexi in my GHB, great wee simple stoves. I keep both chemical blocks and home made wax/cotton fuel with them in a tupaware type box so the smell doesn't contaminate anything else. Its easy to pop the box into my rucksack as an emergency backup when I'm going up the hills/camping etc. There are better systems out there but for a back up or infrequent use they're fine and very cheap.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I've got one in my car with a metal mug

And in winter I also add a £5 China stove and mini gas cartridge (don't like the thought of gas in a very hot car)

I got stuck on the M62 in the bad winter 7 years or so ago 4 hours and not moved a yard so went to the boot mug gas stove and got a brew on by the driver's door as I drunk tea and put stove in the boot (once cool) i was getting dagger stares from a fair few... Just a lorry driver raised a cup and a 24v kettle in his cab with a grin ...

I've got a 12v kettle but they are crap! And if you don't run the engine your car will be flat before you boil a cup of water.. I found this be experimenting then had to slap the car on charge


Fortunately just as I was thinking of warming beans and sausage in tomato sauce they cleared the mangled cars and I got onto my destination and dinner

[Brambles]

I've changed out the hexi blocks for an old shoe polish tin filled with chafing gel. I like it because you can put it out as soon as you've finished and a polish tin holds enough for a few brews.

[Arzosah]

I've changed out the hexi blocks for an old shoe polish tin filled with chafing gel. I like it because you can put it out as soon as you've finished and a polish tin holds enough for a few brews.

Thats very interesting - I've just bought the same sort of stove, was wondering about where the best price hexi would be, but I certainly have stuff that could be described as chafing gel ... bbq lighter? Or am I going win a Darwin award if I use that?

[Yorkshire Andy]

Chaffing gell is a alcohol gell used by the likes of Indian restaurants to keep the bains Mari warm

https://www.russums-shop.co.uk/i/q/SR54 ... _wcB#SR541

[PreppingPingu]

You got it upside down . You can set the cooking height see pic :

Ar but I was under the impression that the spikey bits you can push into ground ( tho I was resting mine on a flat hard surface rather than the soil), and then having the way I have, means you have a nice flat bit to rest your cup/tin. At least thats what the tutorial showed that I looked at before buying one. But hey, either way round seems to work by the seems of it.